Light vs. Dark

A Star Wars Saga Infinities Campaign set in the Old Republic

Campaign Background

This campaign begins under the presumption that the New Sith War of canon did not occur. Jedi Master Phanius, who became Darth Ruin, slipped quietly into obscurity after becoming one of the Fallen Twenty to explore the far reaches of the galaxy and start his own society. He took only a small group of followers with him. Thus instead of 1,000 years of war leading into the time period of this campaign, over 2,600 years of peace instead precede it.

At the outset, the Republic was at the height of a golden age of expansion and commerce – the culmination of a millennium of peace. The Jedi Order stood at 15,000 strong peacekeepers and justiciars upholding the Republic laws and ideals at the behest of the Senate. This august body had guided the burgeoning era of growth so deftly that the office of Chancellor had been disolved five centuries ago. Now, only a Prime Minister served as de facto leader of the Senate in four year terms and would appoint ambassadors to new systems at the edge of ever expanding Republic territory. The Republic had little need for a standing military following generation upon generation of peace and prosperity. Instead the planetary systems and sectors maintained moderate forces of their own which could band together as a coalition under the banner of the Republic. But a cloud was rising that would upset this peaceful balance.

This age was not without conflicts. However the Republic coalitions, advised and aided by wisdom and heroics of the Jedi, built a hallowed reputation of being nigh invincible. The most recent conflict that even came close to the moniker of war took place thirty years ago. It was a three year conflict between the Republic and the Hapes Star Cluster, a previously reclusive sector of space consisting of over 80 proximal stellar bodies governed by a human queen. A human Jedi named Hoth emerged from the conflict a hero and now he sits upon the Jedi Council as a Jedi Lord, serving as the most respected voice on matters military and strategic. Also for the last decade, pirate attacks on shipping routes in outlying systems had been on the rise and old tensions between the Bothans and the Hutts had resurfaced and were nearing the boiling point. Finally, ambassadors to the recently found region of space controlled by the Lettonian Legion had been sent back to the Republic without the ratification of a trade and travel treaty, forming something of a heavily guarded border along one of the Republic’s frontiers. It is believed that negotiations failed because the Lettonians refused to allow Jedi as ambassadors, or even as a presence among the diplomatic party. This condition of the Lettonians has been a matter of concern for the Jedi and the Masters have bent many of their meditations to the matter, unsuccessfully. Ultimately these conflicts were quite small in the grand expanse of prosperity dominating most of the Republic.

The title of Jedi Lord was mostly honorific in these times, however the Republic would show its gratitude to Lords for their career of sacrifice and distinguished service if they chose to retire in the twilight of their living days. The Senate would compensate these Lords with a valuable plot of land from the government’s extensive holdings throughout the galaxy. Many of these retired Jedi would turn these places into enclaves to train young apprentices while also acting as a sentinel for the world or the system where they were now based and thus this was more than a mere gift from a grateful Republic. It was an investment in passing on knowledge, wisdom, and security. The other benefit was that these Masters could live out their days in relative comfort and peace while overseeing a small cadre of Jedi that would someday travel to Coruscant to be knighted and serve as some of the most promising Knights of the next generation.

The Order was too big for all trainees to learn this way, so the rest received tutelage at the largest Jedi centers such as the Temples on Coruscant and Dantooine. This did lead to a wide variety of views on the Force and the Jedi Code during this time but none were overtly “Dark” or really even “Grey”. However, there was a growing movement from the high council on Coruscant to rein in some of the more controversial views and return to a more orthodox philosophy. As a few examples during this time, multiple apprentices were allowed, but still generally limited to three and formal relationships such as marriage were allowed by many of the smaller enclaves overseen by the retired Lords. Jedi on Coruscant took a dimmer view of such practices, believing them to be signs of a growing complacency and had already taken formative steps that would lead to doctrine for a single apprentice and the forbidding of excess attachments.

A few other minor notes on the campaign are that mercenary companies had gained notoriety and use during these times to bolster the hodge podge naval coalitions as needed. These groups were seeing even more work for Both the Republic and the Hutts in an attempt to secure shipping routes against the rising pirate activity. Also, the Corporate Sector is assumed to be already established and present in this time period, which is another major alteration to established canon.

This campaign began under the Star Wars d20 Revised Core Rules, but has since transitioned to the Saga Edition rules.

Update 1: At the end of Episode I, it was revealed that the Sith had returned and launched a devastating attack on the Republic and the Jedi. Quintis Kaan and Senator Lohk betrayed the Republic and the party and the Jedi Temple was attacked. Lord Hoth was abducted by the Sith in this attack. Tyson left the party after these events. Oon was a cameo player character in the first half of this part and then permanently joined the party towards the end.

Update 2: At the end of Episode II, Return of the Queen, the party lost Joh-Kel and Xek, both presumably dead, but the heroes drove the Sith influence from Iridonia and Oon was crowned queen of Iridonia and its holdings. With Joh-Kel and Xek lost, their players introduced the new characters of Aidan and Kaisan. After events on Iridonia, Tyson also rejoined the party.

Update 3: Episode III is still in progress. So far, the party has successfully completed Act I of The Tempest Feud adventure, albeit with the loss of Sebastian to the Bomu Clan. Shortly thereafter, Sesta joined the party. Later, they traveled to Cathar where they infiltrated the recently conquered world, undid the Force ritual chain reaction unleashed by Lord Kaan that would destroy the planet, and recovered Joh-Kel from Sith captivity, though many young Jedi apprentices, padawans, and Knights were lost. With Joh-Kel recovered, Aidan left the group of active heroic characters. Since those events, the party has gone its separate ways and must reunite to unravel a mystery that cuts to the very heart of the Jedi Order. Kirana Jandi has joined the party at start of events that will lead to reunification of the party.

*Caveat: This campaign was conceptually outlined by the GM around 2004, before the theme of, “the Sith have returned from hiding to wage war on the Republic,” became excessively over used in canon and games. Of course, it still was not wholly original, even then (re: Tales of the Jedi and Knights of the Old Republic).